Qatar has dispatched a high-level diplomatic mission to Damascus as it moves to engage with Syria's new administration, according to a Syrian government press release issued on December 23.

Mohammed bin Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al Khulaifi, Qatar's Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is leading the delegation for discussions with Ahmed al-Sharaa, who assumed de facto authority in Damascus following former President Bashar al-Assad's departure on December 8.

The Qatari outreach follows recent high-profile diplomatic visits to Damascus, including Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi. Lebanese Druze leader Walid Jumblatt also met with al-Sharaa in what represents the highest-level Lebanese engagement with Damascus to date.

The talks are expected to focus on establishing diplomatic and political relations with Syria's emerging government structure.

Qatar's diplomatic initiative represents a notable evolution in its approach to Syria, as Doha had previously been one of the principal supporters of opposition groups following the outbreak of unrest in Syria in 2011.

Qatar's position in these negotiations has been strengthened by its close relationship with Turkey, which maintains significant influence with both Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army.

These connections have positioned Qatar as a potentially important intermediary in Syria's evolving political landscape.

The diplomatic engagement also carries economic implications, particularly regarding the potential development of a future gas pipeline that would connect Qatar through Syria to Turkey.

This infrastructure project could significantly impact regional energy dynamics.

Arab states have responded cautiously to Assad's fall and the takeover by HTS-led Islamist rebels under al-Sharaa, who is also known by his nom de guerre, Abu Mohammed al-Jolani. 

The cost of the Syrian post-war reconstruction will, by some estimates, run to an estimated $400bn.